ok this is not what this song means to me but in MY SUBJECTIVE OPINION, what they were trying to say, for the record i think some reasonalbe info has been posted but ur wrong/off the mark lolol ok im messing but here goes, its not about the holocaust, but uses it as a metephor or refrence point, somone already described the line "The guard said he could stay alive
But he has to shovel
And burn his people to die - even if you die" pretty well, basically at the time they had to burry their own once the unlucky few were gassed and those that were used in work and labour were told hard workers would be set free, hence quelling a riot and keeping work going with false hope. Hence arbeit macht frei, german nationalist phrase from a book written in the 19th century if im right...this is basically showing the dirty side (only side) of nazism.
Then the song says "In her rollers
And a gasper
Cleaning the steps in a mean street
Where no policeman walks the beat"
i think this is simply giving a idea of a typical working class situation probably in london or manchester, urban area, very rough etc, but could be anywhere in uk if we are honest.
then the final and most buetifully written verse
"(her old man)
he don't like blacks or queers
(yet he's proud he beat the nazis? - how queer...) "
showing the IRONICY, that the father, though proud of beating the nazi regeim is no better! and the middle verse is more to say that this is the situation in england, this song is simply playing on ironicy,.
CIAO! if you agree or disagree or want to correct me then feel free, life is a learning curve, If im wrong i wanna know!
ok this is not what this song means to me but in MY SUBJECTIVE OPINION, what they were trying to say, for the record i think some reasonalbe info has been posted but ur wrong/off the mark lolol ok im messing but here goes, its not about the holocaust, but uses it as a metephor or refrence point, somone already described the line "The guard said he could stay alive But he has to shovel And burn his people to die - even if you die" pretty well, basically at the time they had to burry their own once the unlucky few were gassed and those that were used in work and labour were told hard workers would be set free, hence quelling a riot and keeping work going with false hope. Hence arbeit macht frei, german nationalist phrase from a book written in the 19th century if im right...this is basically showing the dirty side (only side) of nazism. Then the song says "In her rollers And a gasper Cleaning the steps in a mean street Where no policeman walks the beat" i think this is simply giving a idea of a typical working class situation probably in london or manchester, urban area, very rough etc, but could be anywhere in uk if we are honest. then the final and most buetifully written verse "(her old man) he don't like blacks or queers (yet he's proud he beat the nazis? - how queer...) " showing the IRONICY, that the father, though proud of beating the nazi regeim is no better! and the middle verse is more to say that this is the situation in england, this song is simply playing on ironicy,. CIAO! if you agree or disagree or want to correct me then feel free, life is a learning curve, If im wrong i wanna know!